far and away | quill

nine

Mountains.

When she woke up she knew she was back.

She sat up, stretched her arms out and stood. She walked to the front; the cockpit window displayed the beautiful snow capped mountains.

It was then she realized the crew wasn't there, therefore they must've already found him.

"Shit," she cursed under her breath.

She hurried, stumbling with her slippery tube socks on the smooth floor, and pulled her cloak over her green tee shirt. She opened the ramp and slid down, skillfully, in said tube socks. She landed in the fluffy white snow.

She hurried towards the familiar cottage, the snow soaked through her socks and sent vivid shocks of cold through her legs. The coldness targeted the shot wound, and caused her to grit her teeth.

But it didn't matter. It didn't matter is she was cold and if they met him already. All that mattered was she was here, and he was here.

She got to the cottage and paused on the stoop.

What do I say to someone I haven't seen in ten years?
Just make it cute, or friendly...
Don't throw too much down his throat, don't scare him.

"Sh," she hissed at the internal voice, her heart pounding in her ears.

The door opened after she uttered the fateful noise. Stephen stood in front of her in a black sweater and grey sweatpants synched at the ankle.

He was tall and lean, with gorgeous hair. She looked at him in admiration; he obviously changed, but in a way he was the same as when she left.

"Stephen," she breathed, the sides of her lips curving upward. He smiled and moved aside to let her in. Instead, she charged him with her arms wide. She wrapped them around his shoulders and neck, gripping at the soft wool of his shirt.

She took in the scent of him, "Oh my God, I can't believe it's you." She almost cried, right there. He wrapped his strong and sure arms around her.

"It's me, Quinn, it's me," she knew by his voice that he was grinning. She pulled away, still smiling like a kid.

"I'm guessing you've met before?" Rocket walking into the front room, holding a mug of steaming tea with both paws.

"Yeah, you could say that," she put her arm on his waist, and his went around her shoulders.

"You're shivering like a cat," he said, moving away and closing the door. He took her snow-ridden cloak and hung it on the coat tree.

"Your socks," he chuckled at the sad tube socks, "What did I tell you about running around without shoes? Take those off and hang them by the fire, I'll get some new ones for you."

He left as she stripped her cold feet of their wet hindrance, and for a moment she forgot the journey they'd be undertaking.

It was pleasant, until Peter and Groot entered which only reminded her of the mission.

"So what do you think of him?" she asked the small group quietly.

"He's alright," Peter stated, crossing his arms, "I don't like how he looks at you."

"How he looks at me? How does he look at me, Peter?" She questioned with arrogance.

"He's just being stupid," Rocket interrupted, sitting next to her. "Disregard him."

"How's the tea?" Stephen entered the room once more, handing Quinn a pair of socks and a cup of cocoa.

"Delicious."

"Good, now Quinn I think we should have a word in private. They didn't tell me anything, so you'll have to catch me up."

"Okay," she mumbled regrettably. Stephen was the only person who knew her before she turned into a murderous arsonist. Before she was dangerous and a threat. Before she heard voices. He knew her when she was an innocent teenager, before she went into space-training and was sent into the world she lives in.

He knew her when he had given her a home.

She stood and they went to his back room, his bedroom. She sat cross legged on the bed and he sat on the edge of a plush chair.

"I'll start from the beginning. When I first went on the 'research' mission, I abandoned it. I didn't want to research anything, you know me, I want adventure. I found a planet called Huron, and I met a guy named James. He became my friend, and he got me a job at a mercenary bar."

She continued, "But I didn't like waitressing or bartending like he did. I started to work as a mercenary, and I was good. I became an arsonist, and I have a long list of assaults and burglaries. I only stole what I needed though, no honor among thieves, you taught me that," she looked at him finally. She looked at the mug again.

"But the last murder was different. Drax, one of the Guardians, followed me and caught me. They held me captive and took me to the Nova Corps on a planet called Superior. I was a prisoner, but they found out that I knew where the Reality Stone is. So the Guardians broke me out again and took me to get it for them, for this guy called the Collector who wants to control all the Stones. Or something like that."

He nodded, he knew about the Collector and the Nova Corps because he had dealt with them before.

She took a rugged breath, "But it broke and we lost Drax and now, as you know, if one of the Stone's is destroyed then the area around it is destroyed. We'll all be dead in days if we don't fix it. I broke it, Stephen," she looked at him and his mouth was slightly opened with worry, "And I don't know how to undo it, and if I don't then people will die because of me. You're the only person that can help."

"Oh Quinn," he spoke gently, "I'm so sorry, I don't know if I can help."

"But the Time Stone, you can slow down time and give us some breathing room to fix it. Can't you?"

"I can try," he stood, pacing as he thought of how far his powers would be stretched. "Let's give it a try."

He looked at her, stopping in his footsteps.

She put a hand on her airy stomach, "Stephen, i-it doesn't hurt like it should. I know I screwed up and I'm so sorry and if those people die. I will forever feel horrible. But I don't feel the guilt in the pit of my stomach like I used to when I've sinned."

Her head hurt, it pulsed against her skull.

He approached her slowly.

"I know, having powers can twist the way you feel things. It makes you feel like you aren't human anymore and forces you to believe you don't feel the human emotions," he paused, "but it's just your mind messing with you. It's the voices of your power messing with you."

He was close, and his voice was low. It warmed her frigid skin.

"How'd you know about," she exhaled, watching his careful eyes, "about my power?"

"Because I know you, Quinn. Just as you know me," he put his hands on her cheek and neck, pulling her to him.

She met his lips, and it was as if nothing had changed. It was as if time hadn't passed, and time had in fact stopped.

He pulled away, "Know let's save the universe, shall we?"